No matter what the size or layout of a dorm room, organization is a must!
With small spaces, there’s no room for disorganization. Our organizing tips for dorm rooms and college students will help you plan for organization. As your student leaves their childhood bedroom empty, consider these options to prevent clutter from building up at home.
Tips to Organize Your College Dorm Room
- If you are planning to visit home after the start of the school year, bring summer clothes home and take winter clothes back to college. Taking just the clothing suited to the current season will help save space in the dorm.
- Contact your roommate before arriving to avoid possible duplication of larger items such as a television, fridge, microwave, iron, ironing board, etc.- which take up a lot of space.
- Bunk or loft your beds to create more living space. Bed risers also work great to maximize storage underneath your bed.
Increase your space by utilizing back of doors, inside closet doors and wall space. Most colleges don’t want their walls damaged by new holes so remember to bring lots of sticky tack and Command’s 3M line of wall adhesive hooks. - Late night snacks are inevitable at college. Basics for a makeshift kitchen are always smart. Some of these items might be helpful: Ziploc bags, plastic containers, a can opener, water bottle, to go coffee mugs, and a couple of bowls for cereal.
- A plastic tote or shower caddy is a great way to store and carry items to and from the communal showers. This keeps all items in one place and prevents leaving items behind. Don’t forget a pair of flips flops for the showers and your robe!
- With new friends and new experiences, comes much memorabilia. Think ahead and plan on one memorabilia box per school year. This limits all the paper and knick knacks you save- start off with a large shoe box, and if you must grow to a larger container, ok, but remember to limit it to one container.
- Keeping track of classes, assignments, and campus events/dates seems daunting. After getting syllabuses from your professors, take time to enter in and organize deadlines on a calendar. Create one central spot to track all of this information.
- Choose a tall slender laundry bag or basket with handles. Saving space and making laundry easy to lug or carry down the hall is the key.
- Christmas lights are a fun, yet cheap way to dress up and decorate a dorm room. Don’t forget a strand of two while packing, along with adhesive hooks to hang them.
Don’t Forget organizing essentials for dorm rooms! Here’s what to pack for college:
Dorm Room Closets
- Over the Door Pocket Organizers
- Shoe Rack/Cubes
- Space saving hangers and Command Hooks
- Over door Towel Racks
Laundry
- Mini Drying Rack
- Laundry Basket
- Detergent Pods (easy to use) and Stain Remover Spray
Desks in Dorm Rooms
- Extension Cords and Surge Protectors
- Bulletin/Message Board
- Desktop Organizers for Accessories (Pencil Cup, Post its)
- Bookends
Storage
- Set of Bed Lifts
- Stackable Crates or Cubes (for books or food)
- Under bed Storages Boxes
- Stackable Plastic Drawers
Bath
- Shower Tote/Caddy
- Cosmetic Trays/Organizers
